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Jeter making progress in recovery from calf strain

Jeter making progress in recovery from calf strain

7/31/13: Derek Jeter flashes the leather at shortstop with a great diving snag to rob Carl Crawford of a hit in the sixth

By Josh Vitale and Chris Iseman
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MLB.com |

NEW YORK -- Derek Jeter is eligible to return from the disabled list this weekend when the Yankees travel to Boston. Joe Girardi isn't sure if he'll be ready to come back that soon, though.

The Yankees' manager said the shortstop is "making progress" in his recovery from a right calf strain. Jeter was scheduled to begin taking tee and toss on Monday, and he could begin a running program in the next week.

Jeter has only played in five games between his three stints on the DL this season, batting .211 with a home run and two RBIs. He returned from a broken left ankle on July 11, and went back on the DL with a quad strain after that game. He was activated again on July 28, only to be put back on the DL four games later with a calf strain.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who made his season debut on Aug. 3 -- 23 days after Jeter's -- played his sixth game of the season on Monday.

"We weren't sure who we were going to get back first when it came to those two," Girardi said. "Initially, we thought we were going to get Derek back after Spring Training, and that didn't work. I'm not really sure I find it hard to believe that Alex has played more games than Derek or vice versa. But Derek came back first. It's just been a strange year."

Designated hitter Travis Hafner, who was placed on the disabled list on July 27 with a right rotator cuff strain, is even further from a return than Jeter.